The Montfort Academy

Former New York City Police Commissioner and

Chairman and CEO of SafirRosetti

Howard Safir was appointed 39th Police Commissioner of the City of New York by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani on April 15, 1996. In his four years as Police Commissioner, he achieved a 38% reduction in major crime and reduced homicides by 44%, bringing the total number of murders in New York to 667, the lowest level in three decades. To obtain these results, Commissioner Safir implemented a comprehensive Fugitive Strategy and established thirty-nine major anti-drug initiatives throughout the city including the Northern Manhattan Initiative. He created model blocks in each borough to prevent eradicated drug dealing from returning and he introduced closed circuit television to ensure the safety of housing development residents, park visitors and subway riders. Concerned for officer and public safety, he expanded firearms training and introduced Firearms Training Simulators. Under his leadership, firearms discharge incidents have decreased from 344 in 1995 to 155 in 1999. He has also been the country's leading voice in calling for the expansion of DNA use in policing. He developed and implemented Operation Condor, a creative use of personnel resources, that continues to be a centerpiece of current NYPD crime reduction strategy.

Commissioner Safir began his law enforcement career in 1965 as a special agent assigned to the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, a forerunner of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He advanced through the ranks of the DEA and in 1977 was appointed Assistant Director of the DEA. Commissioner Safir also served as Chief of the Witness Security Division, U.S. Marshals Service. In 1984, he was named Associate Director for Operations, U.S. Marshals Service, a position he held until his retirement from the federal government in 1990. Safir rejoined government service in 1994 when Mayor Giuliani asked him to serve as the New York City's 29th Fire Commissioner.

Commissioner Safir received his B.A. in History and Political Science from Hofstra University in 1963. He attended Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, receiving certificates in the programs for Senior Managers in Government in 1988 and for National and International Security in 1989. He is a member of the executive committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and has served as a delegate to INTERPOL, the National Drug Policy Board and the El Paso Intelligence Center Advisory Board. Throughout his career, Commissioner Safir has been recognized frequently for his outstanding service. In 1996, he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He was twice awarded the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award. Additionally, he received the U.S. Marshals Service Meritorious Service Award and the Attorney General's Achievement Award, in addition to many other citations and awards.